What do you do when the kids are still unvaccinated? The answers will not be easy. Families will make different decisions based on their preferences. There will be more than one reasonable approach.

It has come to our attention that some parents have concerns about vaccinating their children against COVID-19 because they have heard the vaccine might cause fertility problems in females.

Where did this idea come from and is there any truth to this claim? We would like to take this opportunity to discuss, so let’s talk about the science.

The COVID-19 virus has spike proteins on its surface. (Most of us have seen the pictures of the COVID-19 virus with those knob-like structures projecting off the surface). The COVID-19 virus uses these spike proteins to infect cells in our body.

COVID vaccines use parts of these spike proteins to trigger an immune response and antibody production in people who receive the vaccine. This immune response and antibody production is what gives us immunity against the COVID-19 virus after we either receive the vaccine or become infected with the virus.

A very small section of the COVID spike protein is similar to a placental protein. The concern widely distributed across the internet is that antibodies produced when receiving the COVID vaccine will mistakenly target and attack this placental protein and cause pregnancy loss and infertility.

Proteins are large, complicated, folded up molecules that are produced by the body based on a chemical recipe. It is common for proteins with very different effects on the body to have some chemical similarities. Having similarities in small parts of the recipe does not mean that the proteins are the same, and the human body is very good at seeing the differences.

As an example, if you are baking a chocolate cake or a pizza, you will need to use flour in each recipe. But, once you mix the ingredients together to make the finished product, no one would ever mistake a chocolate cake for a pizza simply because they both contain flour.

The same is true for the COVID spike protein recipe and the placental protein recipes. The similarity in recipes is extremely small and the finished product is very different.

• Scientists who are experts in the study of proteins and the immune system have stated that the similarity between the COVID-19 spike protein recipe and the placental protein recipe is so small that our immune system is not at risk of confusing these proteins with each other.

• Vaccination with the COVID vaccine causes an immune response in our body and production of antibodies to the COVID spike proteins.

 

• Infection with the COVID-19 virus ALSO causes an immune response in our body and production of the same antibodies to the COVID spike proteins.

 

• There has been no evidence that COVID-19 infection has caused increased miscarriage rates or decreased fertility in women.

 

• There has been no evidence that vaccination with any type of COVID vaccine has resulted in increased miscarriage rates or decreased fertility in women. 

Pediatric Associates supports the CDC recommendation that children ages 12 years and older should be immunized to protect against COVID-19 infection.